The Diary of Dame Krixtian
by Ahn-Li Steffraini
Summary: A paladin kept a diary of her travels and service.
1. Year One Day One

**The Diary Pages of Dame Krixtian, Paladin of the Argent Dawn**

**Author**: Ahn-Li Steffraini

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the rights to World of Warcraft, but given the open encouragement to not only play the game, but also RP & get involved in the storyline, I couldn't resist the temptation to do just that! I am, however, a paid subscriber/player of the game and "Krixtian" is found on the Draenor server. If other players are mentioned, they will be mentioned in the notes for each "Entry"/chapter at the bottom of the page and are used with their express permission. The use of NPCs, however, isn't used with permission per se, but neither am I claiming them as my own creation. World of Warcraft is run by Blizzard Entertainment and as far as I know they own the rights to all npcs and places, but since my character has to interact with the world, well…

**Author's Note**: Updates to this are sporadic as it chronicles my character, Krix, in informal RP sessions with other people who have helped flesh out this character's 'life' across a few servers, although Krixtian is only ever on the Draenor server, and is a human (therefore Alliance) paladin with neutral views on the Alliance/Horde.

* * *

**Year One**

**Day One**

It wasn't as if I didn't know that I was human. It's just that I never really thought about my human heritage. As far I can remember I had always lived in Thelsamar. There was even a point when I had wondered why I was so much taller and thinner than my sister, Edenni. My parents had been honest when I asked, my mother, Vidra, answered me frankly, "As much as we feel you're a dwarf, honestly, you're not. You're human. But that doesn't mean you're any less me daughter, and I'm any less your mother. Edenni is still yer sister, and you never forget that this is your home!"

Those words were still true.

But it didn't mean that I didn't have another family out there.

Finally, I guess it was the human part of me, I felt I wanted more out of life than to live out my days as an innkeeper, or a cook, in Thelsamar. I took it up with my parents yesterday…

"Ma, you know I love my home, but I need to know, as well as I don't think I could be happy in one place," I chose that way to bring it up, and maybe it was the right way.

Vidra Hearthstove, my adoptive mother, looked at me sideways and said, "That may be true, but remember when you were twelve and wanted to run off and join the Darkmoon Faire. You insisted on acting like a ringleader and yer sister was a lion for the crowd to watch."

I winced, even as I chuckled at the memory, "As I remember, the patrons were entertained."

"Aye, but I'm just asking you to think it out more."

I sighed, "I have thought it out, ma, for a very long time. It's just that ever since that letter arrived I've been thinking it was time to set out and see if I can find some trace of my birth family. What if I have elderly grandparents that need carin' for and since my birth parents died, they've been getting poorer and poorer… not sayin' that they would come to be your responsibility, ma, but if they be my family, then what?"

Vidra thought for a moment and looked over at her husband, "What do you think on this, gravel gut?"

My father harrumphed at his wife's semi-endearment and then ran his fingers through a graying beard, "She has a valid point. And the letter did say she had an Uncle in Goldshire, perhaps it would be best to send her at least there to find out if it's true or not…"

Vidra pouted, "That wasn't the answer I was lookin' for and you know it!"

"Now, now, we knew this day would come," my father looked at me. "Promise us that you will stay in contact, now, and if there is kin of yers there needin' our help, then kin of yours is kin of ours as we be kin, right? If they be needin' it, then you bring them here. Thelsamar may have harsh winters, but our hearths are warm, dry, and cozy unlike those drafty elf stands or shoddy human ones. And our summers ain't too hot either."

I smiled as I hugged him tightly, "Thank you father."

And so today I found myself in Dun Morogh, and well on my way to Ironforge with my father and mother who wanted to come with me that far. There was Hearthstove kin in Ironforge that will help me get to Stormwind.

We still had a day and half on the back of our rams. Father paid for the best he could, and while they were not as fast as others I've seen they were quick enough. We made it as far as the far side of the pass and the chilly, surprisingly snow filled valleys, were beautiful. There was a mostly frozen over lake in the distance and, I knew we didn't have time for the break, I would have liked to have fished in it.

"There, my girl, is Dun Morogh. We will continue west, and then North to come to the Gates of Ironforge," he stopped then, running his fingers through his beard as he often did when considering something. "As far as I know the trip to Stormwind is dangerous… very dangerous… over land. It may not even be possible. We may need to fly by griffon back to Thelsamar and then see about gettin' you to Menethil Harbour for a ship bound for the human lands. I'm not sure on what port they have, if they have a port."

"Oh, they must," Vidra rolled her eyes. "After all, ships and boats are a human thing."

"What if they don't have a port, and I can't get to Goldshire or Stormwind?" I asked.

"That's why we headed to Ironforge first, lass, if anyone knows they be there. I suppose we could hire a mage to teleport you there, and there's griffon back," her father shrugged. "It's not the getting' you there I'm worried about, me lass, it's the getting' any infirm kin back here should it be needed."

Oh.

"Ach, we'll cross that gnome bridge when we get to it, eh?" he grinned.

Other than this, my night was uneventful and we slept soundly.

* * *

**Characters**: Edenni – Was a female dwarven hunter on Draenor.


	2. Year One Day Four

**Year One**

**Day Four**

I will admit that I had never been to Ironforge before this point, and so, as the rams that carried us up the stone path to it I caught my first glimpse of the gates. They were huge! They could have taken easily twenty-four rams across, so I thought, and were twice as high. I turned to my father, "Why are they so big?"

He chuckled and answered, "Because the great forge is in the center of the city, lass, and a great number of huge creations have rumbled their way out of them. And… look now…" he pointed up as a griffon with a robed figure flew out and then spiraled higher to fly over the peaks, "… a griffon, lass. The other reason why so big. Have to have the room for those to fly in and out and keep up the land traffic. When we arrive at the gates you will see the monolith of a king, and notice that the wall splits the road into a 'y' before meeting up in the trade center where the bank and the auction house is."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because, lass, an invading army would have to either choose to split up the ranks and weaken them, or allow the dwarven army to cut them off from the outside by coming up behind them if they chose to focus on the one entrance. And if you look up as we go inside, you will see openings for the womenfolk to dump oil on the invaders heads," my father ran his fingers through his beard. "There is, of course, another entrance from Old Ironforge, but you would need to fly to get there as the mountain has no passes to it and the old roads have long since crumbled. It is now only the abode of crazy gnomes that think they can fly and the Explorer's League."

I rode for a few moments in silence trying to absorb what he had just told me until we rode into the gates and I saw for myself what he meant. I felt small in those gates, but also reassured. There were few armies that could test the mettle of Ironforge and the dwarves. Our capital city was, while not perfectly impregnable, far more secure than others I felt. As my father had told me it was just so, but while he was perhaps used to it as he'd been to Ironforge before, my first trip to capital left me gaping like a fish out of water and trying to turn my head this way and that way to see everything. I even looked up (a dizzying experience, let me tell you) to see a griffon fly over my head from the ramparts that my father said oil would come down on an invading army's head. If the entrance of the city was meant to impress newcomers it had succeeded.

I heard my mother chuckle behind me, "Careful dear, Ironforge might be secure, but it's not perfect. Stay close to us. If we get separated, head for the Mystic Ward and stay within the walls of the Temple there until we find you."

"Yes, mother," it was a precaution for children, but I knew, even though I was no child by human standards, that I was still too world-young to not take the advice.

"And if you hear a blast four times in quick succession, never mind us and duck into the nearest home. No one will throw you out in such a situation," added her father. "When there is one long blast followed by two short ones, that's the all clear, and then take your mother's advice."

I didn't understand that, but I filed under 'need to know for future' and nodded.

We came around the corner and were suddenly in the trade quarter. The sheer activity in the place took my breath away. I had seen adventurers before but the sheer volume of them in one place was mind-boggling. Many of them practically screamed power and many of them, while not fresh at the beginning of their career, looked experienced but not out of our ken.

The market also seemed at full swing and there was also more dwarves, humans, gnomes… the tall willowy elves… than I had ever seen before in my life. I felt strangely drawn to it and felt a tugging in my gut that said I belonged there as well. I didn't understand and so followed my parents past the throng of activity and into the quieter end of the trade quarter where the inns ended and homes began. "Frenetic bunch, aren't they?" asked my father.

"Incredible…" I breathed. "It is always like that?"

My father nodded gravely, "Yes, unfortunately, King Magni has too much use for them as does the rest of the Alliance. You were drawn to them, weren't you?"

It was worded as a question, but I knew it wasn't. He knew. I heard a quiet sigh behind me from my mother, "I was afraid you'd have that trait… like yer pa. Your real pa."

I looked at them suddenly. "You know something."

My mother rode up and looked at me square in the eyes, "Aye, and we'd hoped you wouldn't have that same call as they. Your father was no prospector… well, he was. But he couldn't leave well enough alone!"

I felt sick to my stomach, "What truly happened to my parents?"

"We knew that you were due soon, as did your mother and father. But the Alliance needed a new source of ore, and they were sent to find it," answered her father slowly. "But, this shouldn't be told here. Wait until we arrive at my brother's. We will tell you everything then."

* * *

We were settled in and my Uncle let us alone, "I'm short on ale and that shouldn't be when I have guests under my roof."

So we sat around his table, a fire roaring in the fireplace when my father began, "Your father was indeed a prospector, one of the best or else he'd never been sent on that scouting mission on the other side of the Loch. Your mother, aye, she was a spitfire that one. Handled fire like some a sword."

"Your mother was a mage," explained Vidra. "Sent to make sure your real pa had back-up. They'd had a party with them, the typical bunch, a swordsman, one that could sneak past traps and such."

"No one knew what was out there, not even us dwarves. Your parents went out with their party and then… no one heard anything for weeks. Then finally, one of those hunters in that lodge across the Loch came to us in the middle of the night carrying yer mother. We could hardly recognize her, lass," her father looked down. "We called for a healer, and then a priest, anything to save her and you. In the end we had to do what was necessary to save the child within her as there was nothing we could do. She died before you were even fully born, lass. One word on her lips – 'Ogres'."

"It was close with you as well, but you had her fight," finished Vidra. "The priest said you were tough, but he didn't think you would live. I nursed you as I would my own and on my breast you thrived, and you were mine. You looked at me with those eyes of yours and my heart broke. We raised you as our own. We gave you our name as we never learned yer ma's or pa's name. We tried to do right by you."

"And now?" I asked. "Why let me go?"

"As you said, if you have kin that be infirm, then they be our kin. And, if I were you, I'd want to know my kin too. You're still my daughter," answered Vidra. "Nothing will ever change that!"

* * *

The next morning I woke with my parents and we had breakfast with my Uncle. He kept looking at me sideways and finally I asked, "Is my head on sideways this morning, Uncle?"

"Aye," he grumbled before turning to my father. "I was expectin' a dwarf lass, but not a human lass as yer daughter, where is Lina and Edenni?"

"Edenni is in training in Anvilmar. She's a hunter now," answered my father. "Lina is takin' care of the inn, as always. She's usually our stablemistress, but while we're away she is overseeing the inn." My father put his hand on my shoulder. "This is Krixtian, adopted yes, but no less our daughter than either of our other girls!"

My uncle harrumphed and looked me up and down, "At least she's a good solid human," suddenly a twinkle lit his eyes up, "Well, that would make you my niece, eh?"

"Aye sir."

"Any kin of my brother is kin of mine," said my new Uncle. "And I would be lyin' to you lass if I said that the sound of many nephews and nieces didn't warm my heart."

"Perhaps if you'd marry like a sensible dwarf and take a nice dwarf maid as wife you'd have yer own sons and daughters to warm your heart and share your hearth!" exclaimed my father.

"Ah bugger it, Gravel-gut!" my Uncle's eyes widened in sudden fear. "If I wanted children of my own I might have married, but that would mean sharin' me bed with some dwarf maid and that be the last thing I want."

The sudden tension melted and finally my Uncle asked, "So, why bring 'er here now?"

"She seeks her birth family and to know who they are," answered Vidra. "Which is why we've come to you."

For a moment the other dwarf looked puzzled, "Me? Whatever for, Vidra?"

"She needs to get to the human lands," explained my father. "As I understand it her kin came from Moonbrook."

"Aye, so I see. So she needs to get to Stormwind," my Uncle thought for a moment. "A fair distance and dangerous. As luck would have it the gnomes may have a solution. Go to Tinker Town, ask about the new tramway."

So many new terms and names had been thrown around I was starting to get a bit confused, "The gnomes have a what?"

"It's a bit difficult to explain," said my Uncle. "The only way would be to show you."

A blast from the furnace signaled that the day was beginning and my Uncle shook his head, "However, that can wait until tomorrow, lass. For now enjoy my hospitality with your parents."

"Thank you, Uncle."


	3. Year One Day Five

* * *

_**A note about character's**: Angiela and Corthane are not taken as far as I know. Siuil is (actually, he's a cameo as he's father's character)_

* * *

**Year One**

**Day 5**

Whatever we had been expecting, what we got wasn't it. The gnomes had built an underground tunnel connecting Stormwind and Ironforge, and a contraption that operated on ceiling rails that would quickly transit people so that they wouldn't have to walk the tunnels to Stormwind unless they wished to as the 'tram' didn't run along the ground - it ran along the ceiling above anyone choosing that route.

I looked at the tram, then back at the gnome and my parents. They were not going with me as they had to look after the inn and the journey would take them too far away for too long.

"Are we sure this is safe?"

"Oh, undoubtedly, my tall friend," said the gnome. "There were options that we made at the option of the dwarves and humans, however, they felt that it would be too much and that this simple, rudimentary really, tram was more suited to their needs. So we built it as they asked. There is a much more sophisticated version in Gnomeregan, if you ever come by our city. You'd be more than welcome... in Gnomeregan, that is."

My father snorted, "That'd be the day."

I swallowed, but allowed what little I had to be loaded on the tram by the other gnome before I stepped on it. It didn't sway or anything like I expected and I allowed a small smile of surprise, "Maybe this won't be so bad..."

The tram began to move before I expected it to and I lost my balance to find myself sitting down on the floor of the tram. My parents ran along side for a while waving and yelling their farewell. I waved for as long I saw them before where I had boarded was naught more than a pinprick of light in the distance. The wind whipped through my hair as the swift moving tram hurtled down the tunnel, gaining speed as it went downhill and deeper into the tunnels. I resigned myself to the ride and waited.

* * *

When I arrived at the Stormwind terminal, which looked identical to the Ironforge one, I grabbed my backpack and walking staff, waited for the tram to come to a stop, and then stepped off. I tried not to gawk, and I think I succeeded as no one bothered me, but in reality I had never seen so many humans in my life when I walked into the Trade District of Stormwind.

Yes, I am human, but I had never been out of Thelsamar and this had been the farthest away I had ever been. I went into the Stormwind information center and asked, "Excuse me, could you tell me if you've ever heard of the surname "La Rune"?"

The guild register took a moment to think about it, "La Rune? Can't say I have."

"Where can I find Moonbrook, then?"

"Oh, that's easy!" he exclaimed. Take the road out of Stormwind and follow it until Goldshire. Turn right and follow the road to Westfall. Again, take a right and follow the farm road. Can't miss it but it's about a three day ride, and a week's walk. If you leave Stormwind now you'd make it to Goldshire just after twilight. Ask the blacksmith there, he'd know if there's a stage or carriage to Westfall or not."

"Thank you," I said and left the building, and as I did a man wearing black leather pants and a black silk shirt approached me.

"You looking for the La Rune's, eh?"

"Yes, you heard of them?"

"I heard the missus got herself killed up in Loch Modan. Haven't seen the old man though."

"Is he... alive?"

"He might be, who's askin?"

"His daughter," I answered boldly, gripping my staff. There was something the way he was presenting himself and I had seen enough adventurers in my day to recognize a rogue when I saw one.

The only question to be answered was if he was a rogue in the employ of Stormwind or something else.

But his attitude changed instantly as if someone had struck a match. "You're Angiela's daughter? Corthane and Angiela's daughter?"

Angela was my mother's name... this man had known my parents. "Yes."

"I thought so, you have the same hair as Corthane, same face as Angiela. I'm Siuil," he reached out a hand to shake mine, and I did so. "I was a friend of your father's. You won't find anything in Moonbrook. It's naught but a ghost town now and you'd be dead if you tried. I just gave my report in about that."

"Report? Where?"

He winked, "Now if I told you that I'd either have to recruit you or kill you, and I'd hate to kill you, so how about we leave it at that for now. I'd imagine you'd know for sure what happened...?"

I shook my head, "Not a lot more than you, I know my mother is dead, my adoptive parents told me so because she died shortly after I was born. They suspected my father was killed saving my mother."

"I wouldn't give up on Corthane, but to hear that Angie is dead breaks my heart... always had a crush on her," Siuil hung his head. "So, you came to follow up on that, eh? See if you could find your old man?"

"Came to find living relatives and to see where I came from... see if those relatives need help if they are elderly."

Siuil shook his head. "As far as I know, Corthane came from up north, Lordaeron or Stratholme way. A big city boy," he gave it some thought. "Never did say why he came south. Your mother, on the other hand, she might have been from Moonbrook. There is lots of people from Moonbrook now in Goldshire, so maybe you'd best start there."

"Thank you, Mr... Uh, what is your surname?"

"I didn't say and I can't say I recall it," he gave a bow. "See you around, Krixtian La Rune..."

"Hearthstove."

"Eh?"

"My name is Krixtian Hearthstove. I use my adoptive parents name since they raised me as their own until I was old enough to tell the difference. I never knew my human family and have only just now decided to research them but my living kin is in Thelsamar, and I am dwarven by citizenship," I gently corrected.

He raised a brow and then laughed, "You're a tall dwarf, Miss Hearthstove, but all right. Well, then I'll see you around, Krixtian Hearthstove, but you won't see me..."

With that he walked back into the thick of the trading district. I figured it would be best to head to Goldshire.

* * *

I left Stormwind around midday to noon, and sure enough, I arrived in Goldshire just as the daylight waned into twilight. I headed into the inn and went to the innkeeper, "One room for the night, unless I can rent for the week?"

"You sure can!" he answered brightly, then more quietly and more privately. "Alone?"

"Aye, alone fer now," I finally stopped suppressing the accent out of sheer exhaustion; it had been a long day.

He blinked, "You look human but I hear the Dun Morogh accent."

"Loch Modan, born and raised. First time out of the Dwarven Nation," I answered honestly. "I'm looking for kin that may be found around here. La Rune."

His eyes lit up, "Oh there's a La Rune that comes this way every so often to talk to the lady upstairs... I think his name is Siuil La Rune. He had a brother that went north with his wife and never came back. Unfortunately, don't recall anyone else but there could be."

I decided the next time I ran into this new Uncle of mine I was going to kill him.

* * *


	4. Year One Day Eleven

**Year One**

**Day Eleven**

It has been days since I last wrote, I know, especially in the last spate of writing when I had so much to write about.

So far I have learned exactly nothing of my family other than my Uncle Siuil, and that my name is in fact Krixtian La Rune. The La Runes were of Moonbrook, but no one in the town has seen a La Rune in years. The last "La Rune" relocated, with his family, to Lakeshire, maybe, but no one is sure. There is a possibility that they moved to Stormwind, but beyond that no one knows where they came from before that.

If my Uncle was telling the truth I do not like where I will have to head next and I get the feeling that it will take much longer than the journey I have already taken. I cannot afford it.

I am working as a barmaid in Moonbrook, but there is rumors on the wind. The Masons that live and work around here have come back and they aren't too pleased with the results of where ever they came back from.

A friend of my employer is a Mason by the name of Edwin Van Cleef, and Mr. Van Cleef has been talking to people around town. Some are bending an ear, others seem like they are getting ready to leave. I don't know what I will do. He hasn't talked to me yet but then again I guess I don't exactly count as a local even if my family had settled near here before. I find myself intrigued about what he might have to say, even while I think I will save what little I have and go back as far as Goldshire before saving up to return to Ironforge and back to Thelsamar.

Mother and father have been writing regularly, and I have been answering as much as possible. Edenni is evidently doing very well and has been transfered from Anvilmar to Ironforge, also she says she spends more time in and around the town not to far from there. She's even been to visit the gnomes in Gnomeregan!

I think I will retire for the night. Even though there is not much to talk about my day has been busy and very tiring.


	5. Year One Month Two Day Twelve

**Year One**

**Month Two**

**Day Twelve**

* * *

_ Evidently the Lady Krixtian wrote her diary in a Year, Month, Day format, so according to this format from what we have been able to ascertain this Day Twelve is by no means the day after the previous Day Eleven. It would certainly make sense as she what she makes reference to means at least a month has passed... There is a possibility that there is missing pages to this journal, and will likely be more missing pages. However, what we have is very educational concerning the events she seen in her life. It is my belief, dear reader, that the Lady still lives, perhaps has retired back to Thelsamar, but this has not been confirmed as historians dispatched to Thelsamar have not found her... however, it is duly noted that her adoptive parents still run the Inn there. Vidra is very open about her daughter's life, and she also believes Krixtian is still alive. I also managed to obtain and copy the letter of which she speaks in this entry and have included it at the end of it. It was originally in Dwarven, so I hope I have translated it well enough._

* * *

I have had many busy days so far, in fact, I have gone from being the barmaid in Moonbrook to being an apprentice blacksmith in the town of Goldshire, which is not too far from Stormwind. Life here is peaceful, and very similiar to Thelsamar. I haven't made much as a blacksmith other than buckets of nails and such, but the more I practice the better I get I guess.

It was on a day like that, a day like any other, when I first heard the rumors.

"They say the orcs broke past Darkshire... and they came up from the jungles of the Stranglethorn."

"I heard they came from the sea, through Westfall..."

"Nah, everyone knows they're in Redridge... what with all that recent trouble and all there. It even put the run on the Explorer's League."

I didn't pay it any attention. Rumors are rumors. We had our fair share of the same as Thelsamar was very close to a place called Uldaman, however, we'd had more in the way of trade than invasions or raids. What few raids made it past the guards found that the townsfolk were as stubborn, and deadlier. Very few raids were Horde related, however, as we'd a few Tauren (strange folk, them, but honorable) who had run from troggs and kobolds into the safety of the town.

Recently, those instances had been scarce as the war between the Horde and the Alliance had made us a terrible choice - Alliance or Horde, but not neutral. We'd gone along with our King and allied ourselves with the Alliance. Time would only tell if that was wise.

Even still, my lot in life was a blacksmith and metal smelter. It paid far better than barmaid and I was a fair hand at it. Day in and day out I'd make copper nails, fix broken buckets, shoe horses, and other minor things.

I wrote my parents in Thelsamar as well today.

* * *

_Dear mother and father,_

_I've been as far as Moonbrook, which is in Westfall. It is of similiar distance from Stormwind as Thelsamar is from Ironforge near the mountains that separate the plains of Westfall from the jungles of Stranglethorn Vale. It is a fair distance south from home, indeed._

_How is Edenni and Lina? I miss you all so much._

_I have made my way back to Goldshire, which is almost in the shadow of Stormwind and about a day's walk from here. I'm making a small, but decent, living as an Apprentice Blacksmith. It's hard, and boring, work but pays better than being a barmaid here, or in Moonbrook. Hopefully I will have saved enough to go home soon. I haven't found any other living relatives so far except this one man by the name of Siuil La Rune. Evidently that is my surname - La Rune. I don't use it, it sounds funny off the end of my tongue. I'm still your daughter, a proud Hearthstove and my home is still Thelsamar (and I miss it terribly)._

_I have, unfortunately, "lost" our rich way of speaking although I still speak Dwarven to other dwarves. People around here keep telling me that but for a slight lilt to my speaking I sound as local as they do._

_Great... I have been here so long that when I go home I will sound like I came from elsewhere. I had to, however, as if I hadn't they couldn't understand me._

_Your loving daughter,_

_Krixtian_

* * *

**A/N** - yesterday, while writing this, Krixtian made level 70. Whoo hoo! So yeah, lol, loads of catching up to do with her "dairy" as this is before the beginning of her "official" adventuring career (doesn't even have a level yet...)


End file.
